Obsidian Skeleton
Medium-sized Undead
Hit Dice: 4d12 (40 hp)
Initiative: +5 (+1 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 30 ft.
AC: 13 (+1 Dex, +2 natural)
Attacks: Longsword +0 melee, 2 claws +0 melee
Damage: Longsword 1d6, claws 1d4
Face/Reach: 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Qualities: Undead, immunities, regeneration
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +2
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 12, Con --, Int --, Wis 10, Cha 11
Feats: Improved Initiative
Climate/Terrain: Any land
Organization: Any
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: --
What surprised them most was that they thought they had already killed the skeleton guard, and that usually seems to be enough, yet the blackened bones were standing again, and the black jewel twinkled in the torchlight. As before, it walked toward them fearlessly, swinging the sword and trying to kill them. Maybe trying to rob this wizard's tomb was a bad career choice.
Obsidian skeletons (called defiling skeletons on Athas) are created by a similar method to that of other skeletons, except that they have a black crystal incorporated into their form, and this allows them to do something other skeletons can't; get back up after being defeated and continue to fight, again and again and again.
Obsidian skeletons appear as scorched black skeletons with a large, black gemstone in their foreheads. They all carry a sword or club.
COMBAT
Combatively-speaking, obsidian skeletons are much like other skeletons. Obsidian skeletons always fight with weapons, usually swords or clubs, and only fall back on their claws if they are disarmed.
Undead: Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, and disease. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, energy drain, or death from massive damage.
Immunities (Ex): Obsidian skeletons have cold immunity. Because they lack flesh or internal organs, they take only half damage from piercing or slashing weapons.
Regeneration(Su): Obsidian skeletons regenerate by defiling vegetation around it. When it is reduced to 0 hp, it collapses and remains inactive for one round. After one round of inactivity, the jewel in its forehead glows brightly and all vegetation within 10 feet of the obsidian skeleton turns to ash (the equivalent to a 3rd-level defiling spell), and it rises, back at full hit points. This can be done as long as the gem is unbroken. Even if there is no vegetation, sooner or later there will be, and when there is, it will regenerate.
CONSTRUCTION NOTES
2 animate dead spells and vampiric touch spell
Okay, here it is. I have it here (http://www.angelfire.com/d20/vaelos/Obsidian_Skeleton.html), too. So, what do people think?
:D
I have the writeup from Dragon #234, but it looks like the same as the one from the annual. I have to say, I'd have made this a template that you could apply to any undead instead of just converting the creature straight over.
Beyond that (and the fact that it's 3.0, lol), there are problems with the stats of your conversion. I've been doing some monsters for my home campaign over the last week, so forgive me while I wield the crit-hammer...
Hit points should be an average total, with max points for first HD, which I make as being 31, not 40.
The creature has a base attack bonus of +2, so its attack with the sword and the claws should be +2. Also, a longsword does 1d8 damage, not 1d6, and you should note its crit modifier too.
Its Ref save should be +2 (+1 from HD, +1 from Dex), and its Will save should be +4 (from HD), although it's a mindless undead, so this isn't going to come into play very often.
What array did you use for the abilities?
Improved Initiative should be noted as being a bonus feat (with a little B), as mindless undead don't get feats or skills.
Regeneration should be renamed (to something like "defiling regeneration") as there is already a different special ability with that name. Also, you don't need to list the undead immunities in the combat section. You might also want to specify "cold immunity" in the stat block instead of just calling it "immunities", and change the reference to slashing and piercing weapons to damage reduction 5/bludgeoning, like standard MM skeletons.
Under Burnt World of Athas rules, 10' defiling radius is equal to a 2nd-level spell, afaik. You can leave the spell level equivalence out, though - it's not necessary to the effect unless you want to include other defiling effects (like damage to plants).
You should also give an AC and hit points for the gem, as players will definitely try to smash it.
And I'm not sure about the wording of the construction section, but I can't be bothered to look up an example ;)
The italicised text should be non-specific to an actual encounter. There is good flavor there, but it should be less specific and more impersonal in its approach and phrased more like something that you could read to players.
Humph. Sorry that this sounds like a bunch of criticism. But, well, you asked
Make it a template and save yourself all the hassle of stats, I say!
Don't worry. Polite criticism is something I can deal with. Thanks for the time, and I'll poke it intl a better write-up later. Likely, I borrowed from the skeleton write-up in the Monster Manual, I'll have to see. Thank you for the critque.
No problemo, man. I am not known for my niceties, so good to hear that you take it in the spirit it's intended
.Always wanting to see such a creature be part of the setting, I ended up crafting the following item to obtain about the same result (the item is unfinished though, as the defiling regeneration spell hasn't yet been done officially). This item should appear in An Athasian's Emporium:
[INDENT] Stone of Undying: This thumb-sized obsidian jewel, carved with intricate arcane runes, is in the shape of a split egg. The obsidian stone is set in a brass frame, with short spikes on its underside. If applied to the skin or bone of a corporeal undead creature, the stone of undying embeds itself in the body of the undead; from that point on the jewel is considered attended by the undead (see Breaking and Entering, Chapter 9 of the Player’s Handbook).
Whenever the undead is reduced to 0 or fewer hit points through hit point loss, the jewel takes a full round to defile a circular area equal to (5 feet
Kalthandrix, that's a pretty hefty spell. It's 8th level and has a long casting time, so that offsets things. I haven't read the rest of the thread, so maybe the balance ramifications were already raised. But it lasts for at least 170 rounds and provides regeneration between 4 and 17 points per round (or more). That's an awful lot. Do you think that the duration is maybe a bit long? Also, do you actually mean regeneration, or do you mean fast healing? Regeneration converts all damage to nonlethal damage, heals that nonlethal damage at the stated rate, allows the creature to reattach or regrow lost limbs and can only be bypassed with fire or acid. Fast healing simply heals the stated number of hit points each round. Which one do you mean the spell to provide? Is it actually regeneration? If so, the spell is way too powerful, as regeneration itself is only 7th level, and this is much more powerul than that. Just some thoughts.
But I am more then a reasonable man, and I did do this spell a while ago - so I do not see a problem changing it from regeneration to fast healing (maybe) - but like I said, look at the orginal spell.
All I will say on this is - look at the orginal spell in Dragon Kings - I think I did a fairly accurate conversion while changing it up just slightly - ie I do not think that the orginal took into account the terrain the spell was used in.
But I am more then a reasonable man, and I did do this spell a while ago - so I do not see a problem changing it from regeneration to fast healing (maybe) - but like I said, look at the orginal spell.
Cool. I looked at the original spell, and noted these comparisons between the original and your version.
The original doesn't provide regeneration in the 3e sense of the word - it just allows targets to regain 2 hp per round and revives those slain. This is a weakened version of 3e regeneration, without all the other abilities of regeneration (like reattaching or regrowing limbs and converting all damage to nonlethal etc). The original version is a lot closer to fast healing and a lot less effective than your version in this regard.
The DK version has a vastly greater duration, but also a much larger preparation time. The DK version is more flexible with regards to targets, and can, for example, be cast on lots of small creatures (like an army, for example). When dealing with a party of adventurers (such as the caster using it on himself and his companions), they are very similar. The DK version can affect the caster and 4 other characters of the same level. Your version can affect the caster and 3 other creatures (of any level). The original is clearly more flexible and has a better duration. But, then again, it's a 10th-level spell and so should be several orders of magnitude better.
The chief concern as I see it when converting stuff over from 2e to 3e is not to compare the new version with the original version in order to determine relative power. The chief concern is to compare the new version with other existing 3e spells. As it stands, it seems to me that your version is a touch too powerful for an 8th level spell, chiefly in the area of duration. Changing regeneration to fast healing and maybe lowering the amount that it grants a bit would even it out, in my opinion.
Or why not just go ahead and make an epic spell using the 3e epic spell system. Your version would make a great epic spell, and you could even make it stronger and as flexible as the original version.
Hummmm...well I might very well do that - and maybe the Epic version would also have another version that allowed one to drain animal life if the recipiant of the spell and/or caster was a dragon.
This topic is kind of hijacking this thread...so maybe any other comments on my spell should be moved over to the thread with the spell on it.
Yeah, the Emporium is a future project on items along with some other stuff.
I like your analysis RedKank, ever thought about applying to Athas.org? Not that you can actually apply...just do stuff that help out the team in your areas of expertise, and you'll get noticed by someone, and if good enough made an offer.
Really? I had assumed that it was a closed team of designers. Huh. I'm just a fan who likes to play and get under the hood. Not sure that I have the right stuff, know what I mean?
Yeah, the Emporium is a future project on items along with some other stuff.
Sounds like an interesting product. Is it coming out anytime soon?
Sounds like an interesting product. Is it coming out anytime soon?
Both authors are not busybees, unlike others, sadly, and one just got his second baby, so it will take some time. Plus, the main contributor for one of the sections has left Athas.org.
Really? I had assumed that it was a closed team of designers. Huh. I'm just a fan who likes to play and get under the hood. Not sure that I have the right stuff, know what I mean?
Yeah I get it, I'm borderline myself on many levels.
Just wanted to point out that if you provide a very valuable or unique service to the team, you may get offered a position doing just that.
And here's a thought I know will be the subject of much hating - How about Preserving Skeletons? They'd never have to worry about defiling too many times and thus running out of fuel for regeneration by killing the local plant life.